Timing-based servo (TBS) is a technology developed for linear tape drives. In TBS systems, recorded servo patterns consist of transitions with two different azimuthal slopes. Head position is derived from the relative timing of pulses, or dibits, generated by a narrow head reading the relatively wide servo patterns. TBS patterns also allow the encoding of additional longitudinal position (LPOS) information without affecting the generation of the transversal position error signal (PES). This is obtained by shifting transitions from their nominal pattern position using pulse-position modulation (PPM).
A specification for the servo format in current midrange tape drives is provided by the linear tape-open (LTO) format. The complete format for LTO drives of generation 1 (LTO-1) was standardized by the European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) in 2001 as ECMA-319.
Traditionally, the detection of LPOS information bits is based on the observation of the shifts of the arrival times of the dibit peaks within the servo bursts at the servo reader output. It is known in the art to encode by pulse position modulation an LPOS word comprising 36 bits of information in a non-data region of a sequential data storage medium, such as a magnetic tape. Each encoded LPOS word in the standard ECMA-319 on data interchange on 12.7 mm 384-track magnetic tape cartridges relates to a specific absolute longitudinal address, and appears every 7.2 mm down the tape. Using prior art methods, an LPOS word comprises 36 individual servo patterns, i.e. frames, wherein each frame encodes one bit of information. The LPOS values of two consecutive LPOS words differ by one. Therefore, a tape drive can position a data/servo head assembly at a specified LPOS address thereby achieving a longitudinal resolution of about 7.2 mm.
A read/write assembly comprising two servo heads spans a data band and two servo bands disposed adjacent that data band. In the event one servo head is rendered inoperative, then only one servo head can be used to laterally position the read/write head. Bit errors in the operative servo channel can cause a stop-write condition. Alternatively, a servo band may become damaged, or may not comprise useful information resulting from media damage.